Divorce accomplished without years of litigation, projects divvied up
Hollywood Reporter Oct 6, 08 2:25 AM CDT
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It may be one of the most amicable Hollywood divorces in history. Paramount Pictures and DreamWorks announced a division of 200 movie projects in development as golden-touch producer Steven Spielberg leaves to launch a new company, according to the Hollywood Reporter . The unexpectedly easy split comes in defiance of Hollywood experts who had predicted years of litigation. The two companies will even remain partners on up to 40 projects.
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Copyright owner says Disturbia rips off Rear Window
Associated Press Sep 9, 08 10:12 AM CDT
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Steven Spielberg ripped off Rear Window when he made last year’s thriller Disturbia , a lawsuit filed yesterday alleges. The 1954 Alfred Hitchcock classic was based on a 1942 short story, and the owner of the rights to the story has sued for compensation from Spielberg, DreamWorks, and Paramount Pictures, the AP reports. The defendants declined comment.
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Paramount hasn't coughed up promised bonuses, he argues
Associated Press Sep 7, 08 7:57 AM CDT
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Actor Tommy Lee Jones has sued the producers of Oscar Award-winning No Country for Old Men for $10 million he claims is owed him. The suit charges Paramount Pictures failed to pay Jones a promised chunk of "significant box-office bonuses" and other compensation linked to the success of the critically acclaimed film. No Country earned $160 million at the box office, AP reports.
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The failure is part of a larger trend as liquidity dries up
Financial Times (UK) Jul 15, 08 1:39 PM CDT
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A $450-million deal with Deutsche Bank that would have financed up to 30 films for Paramount is off the table, the Financial Times reports. Perhaps an unlikely casualty of the credit crunch, Paramount walked after a lack of enthusiasm in the market led to terms that were unattractive, persons familiar with the deal said.
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Films will replace slate lost when Paramount bailed in April
Variety Jul 15, 08 11:15 AM CDT
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Showtime and the Weinstein Company have inked an exclusive 7-year movie deal, giving the pay TV network a replacement for the slate of films it lost when Paramount, MGM, and Lionsgate decamped in April and teamed up to launch a rival network, Variety reports. Showtime had balked at what it called excessive license fee demands; all the CEO would say about the fee the Weinsteins will be getting is that it's "a price that is consistent with today's marketplace."
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Paramount wants director Ratner to revive franchise after Indy-like 14 years
Variety May 29, 08 2:59 PM CDT
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Fans of the old Eddie Murphy (you know, before the fat suits and prostheses), rejoice: A third sequel to 1984’s Beverly Hills Cop will start production next year, Variety reports. Murphy approached Paramount about the project, and the studio eagerly agreed after successfully disinterring Indiana Jones. Murphy is attached, Brett Ratner may direct, but will Judge Reinhold be back?
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Action flick is 10th highest opener ever
Variety May 4, 08 4:56 PM CDT
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Paramount and Marvel struck gold with Iron Man this weekend, raking in $201 million worldwide in the tenth-best opening ever, Variety reports. The male-skewing film left room for Made of Honor to draw in women and $15.5 million in second spot.
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MGM, Paramount, Lionsgate joint venture would target HBO
Los Angeles Times Apr 21, 08 8:50 AM CDT
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Paramount Pictures, MGM Studios, and Lionsgate are creating a premium TV channel to compete with HBO and Showtime, reports the Los Angeles Times, which currently showcase their programming. The joint venture comes as those same channels look to pay studios less for movies and pursue production of their own content.
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Monopoly, Candy Land to follow in steps of Transformers, Toy Story
E! Online Feb 21, 08 10:07 AM CST
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Paramount has the rights to any Transformers sequels, but a new deal with toymaker Hasbro guarantees Universal Pictures sole access to nearly all the company's iconic brands, including board games. The studio is said to be developing a Monopoly film, and a new live-action version of the game Clue may also be in the works, E! Online reports.
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Site allows users abroad to find, download films
Wall Street Journal Dec 19, 07 11:41 AM CST
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A federal judge has put an early end to a copyright infringement trial, finding online file-sharing service TorrentSpy.com liable for movie piracy. In a victory for Paramount Pictures and other film studios, the Los Angeles court ruled that the operators of TorrentSpy destroyed evidence and made false statements under oath, the Wall Street Journal reports.
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Service will offer HD downloads same day DVDs hit stores
Associated Press Dec 10, 07 10:37 PM CST
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The Bourne Ultimatum , the Matt Damon action movie, will be available online Tuesday - the same day as the DVD reaches video stores. AP reports it's the first of many high-definition movies to be released by Vudu, the on-demand video service. Vudu, which sells its set-top box for $399, will offer HD movies like the Bourne series for $24.99.
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Producers fear film may inflame Afghanistan's ethnic tensions
New York Times Oct 4, 07 1:02 PM CDT
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Paramount Vantage is pushing back the release of "The Kite Runner" to allow its child stars to leave Afghanistan, the New York Times reports. The studio, worried that a “Danish-cartoons situation” could erupt over an ethnically charged rape scene, has moved the film's release date to Dec. 14. The 12-year-old starring in the scene says he fears for his life.
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Unhappy DreamWorks director will likely seek new backer
Los Angeles Times Sep 21, 07 3:35 AM CDT
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A split between the DreamWorks braintrust and Paramount appears inevitable amid reports that director Steven Spielberg and partner David Geffen will seek new backers as soon as they're free to do so. The duo have been upset almost from the moment they sold Dreamworks to Paramount two years ago, complaining that the parent label takes credit for hits like "Transformers," and treats their friends poorly.
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High-definition format war takes a new turn
as player prices fall
Los Angeles Times Aug 21, 07 9:23 AM CDT
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The face-off between two standards for high-definition DVDs took a new turn yesterday as Paramount Pictures and its subsidiary DreamWorks dropped support of Sony's Blu-ray format. Starting this week, the studios will distribute new discs exclusively in the HD DVD format, which is supported by Toshiba and functions on less expensive players, the LA Times reports.
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Angry director could pack up DreamWorks
and leave studio
BusinessWeek Jul 20, 07 10:23 AM CDT
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Steven Spielberg is so disillusioned with Paramount Pictures that he may bail on the studio, which less than 2 years ago bought the director's DreamWorks for $1.53 billion. The legend behind Jaws, E.T., and Transformers is furious that Paramount takes credit for his movies and mistreats his friends, including firing best bud Tom Cruise, Business Week reports.
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